Improved fabric for envelopes for cartridges



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALGERNON'K. JOHNSTON AND LORENZO DOW, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEDFABRIC FOR ENVBLOIPES FOR CARTRIDGES.

Specificationforming part of Letters Patent No. 42,668, dated May 10, 1864.

To all whom it may concern Be it known thatwe, ALGERNON K. JOHNS- cron and Loaunzo Dow, of the city, county,

and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Method of Manufacturing the Envelopesof Cartridges, whereby the requisites of strength, durability, and firmness of texture, so necessary in breech-loading arms, are given to the cartridge-in a better and more economical manner than has ever before been v done. a

The great demand at present existing for metallic cartridges to be used in pistols loading at the breech has given rise to various experiments on the part of inventors, looking to the production of a cartridge thatshall combine the same elements of strength and impervicusness to fire possessed by metallic car- "tridges as now made,'and yet be manufactured 7 of powder causes so great an expansion of the metallic covering of the cartridges that it is impossible to withdraw it readily from the barrel after the explosion.

'lo obviatethese difficulties, cartridgeshave been made of strong brown paper, and of thin sheets of brass, and of brass and paper combined -;but it is found that paper ofevery hind,

andall'fabrics made from vegetable fiber, are so easily penetrated by the fire from the gunpowder that the passage of gas and of flame, even at the instant of, the explosion, is admitted through the crevices always existing, to a greater or less degree, in breech loading arms where the parts of the barrel are joined together and it is, moreover, found that in such cases the texture of the covering is injured to such an extent that it is impossible to remove the remainder from the barrel readil y after the explosion. The use of thin strips of brass or other metal in combination with the paper makes a much better cartridge, but it is much more expensive. y

After many experiments, we have estab- 'lished -the fact that paper or other fabric of vegetable fiber can be so treated and prepared as to render it, when-used as a covering for a. cartridge for fire-arms, entirely impervious to thefire from the gunpowder, and a-pparen tly uninjured by-the explosiouof the same within the gun; thus retaining its strength and form, and answering every requisite found in the metallic cartridges heretofore used.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we declare the followin g to be a full and exact description thereof.

We take paper, .cloth, or other fabric or tissue, and soak it in melted bees-wax, tallow, oil, parafline, soap, or glue, or in a mixture of usual manner, and making a minute aperture at the end of the cartridge for the passage of fire from the cap or fulminate used to explode the charge. The covering may be first formed in due shape for filling with powder, on amandrel or otherwise, and then be soaked, as above described, until thoroughly saturated, when it may be filled with powder and the bullet attached in the usual way.

so made, the heat is so rapidly absorbed by the saturated material composing the covering of the cartridge, and the material itself by such saturation has been rendered so firm, that it is impervious to the burning partieles of powder, and permits no gas to escape through its tissue. The envelope is thus left comparatively uninjured by the tiring of the gun, and may be readily removed thereafter to give placeto another cartridge.

In practice, we have found that both beeswax and parafiine answer the purpose well, and we give the preference to parafiinc, using paper for the basis of the covering; but we are aware that other substances of an oily or penetrating nature suiiicient to fill all the interstices of the covering, and capable of the rapid absorption of heat, may be used with similar effect.

the cartridge as a covering therefor, or to preany or all of these, until it is thoroughly satu-= rated, and then form the covering of the cartridge with such saturated material, filling it with powder, and attaching the bullet in the Upon firing a gun loaded with a cartridge We do not claim the application of any of ihe'above-named substances to the exterior of serve the same, or to render the same waterproof or otherwise; but

We claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The application to the fabric or tissue form-. ing the covering of cartridges of a substance or preparation which shall thoroughly fill theinterstices thereof, and render it firm and impenetrable to the burning gases within the chamber of the gun atthe instant of discharge,

using for that purpose the aforesaid isuh ALGERNON K. JOHNSTON. LORENZO DOW.

-Witnesses:

JULIUS R. POMEROY, W. H. BOUGHTON. 

